A framework for the OpenRefine community

Following the results from the Google Refine Usage Survey, I would like to share a more personal vision of the birth of the OpenRefine community. The code and all issues have been recently moved to Github, the wiki will close soon and the project would have left the Google code environment.

However while a clear consensus have been found to go for GitHub (GitHub got voted 35 out of 43 responses, see results here) to host the code and issue tracker, I am not sure that GitHub is the right place to for the documentation. In this post I'll try to explain the reason why. Please note that I am open to comments and suggestions regarding analysis and proposition I'll do in this post. OpenRefine is now within the community hands and everyone voice count.

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Google Refine Administrativa Survey Results

Following the Usage Survey (see first results), we open a survey to understand the community preference regarding tool to administrate OpenRefine. Thanks to the 43 participants. 

I blow provide a first flat analysis of the results with decision that have already been made based on this survey. You can access details answers here and the survey form here.

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Google Refine Recipe (from around the web)

Keith Maguire provide a list of short and sweet recipe to Capitalise the first letter, isolating value, faceted browsing or Comparing two columns with Refine. Enjoy!

via Delicious http://www.keithmaguire.net/blog/categories/refine/

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Google Refine Usage Survey Results

Following the survey on Google Refine usage we distribute last week I would like first thanks the 99 persons who participated. Thanks to your answer, we now have a better understanding of who use Google Refine, how and what's the community expectations are.

Thanks again for spreading the word and providing detailed and insightful answers. Here is a first flat analysis of answer collected. You can access details answers here (email addresses have been removed) and the survey questions here.

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Google Refine project administrivia survey

The survey is now closed. For archive purpose please find a copy of the questions below. Thanks to all the participants.

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Open Refine Survey

The survey is now closed. For archive purpose please find a copy of the questions below. Thanks to all the participants.

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From Freebase Gridworks to Google Refine and now OpenRefine

Yesterday David Huynh announced that Google will soon stop its active support of Google Refine and count of community to get more involved to growth Refine.

Refine is already a mature data cleaning tool, this change in leadership will be a major challenge for the tool continuity. But first I'd like to clarify what I have read on twitter yesterday night. Google Refine has always been an open source tool and anyone can commit changes, develop an extension or update the wiki.

Through this post I'd like to give my insight on the reason of this decision and what will be the short terms consequences of it.

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